Apparatus for cleaning jewelry or like objects



(No Model.)

- 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. O. T. BRADSHAW.

. APPARATUS FOR CLEANING JEWELRY OR LIKE OBJBGTS.

N0. 4 86,756. Patented Novfl 22, 1892.

cc. Pnoruuma, wnsmucmn n c (No Model.) I I I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

0. T. BRADSHAW. APPARATUS FOR CLEANING JEWELRY 0R LIKE OBJECTS.

No. 486,756. Patented Non 22, 1892.

j 'hfji lh UNITED STATES f PATENT i; OFFteE.

CHARLES T. BRADSHAW, OF PHILADELPHIA, ASSIGNOR T O EZRA F. BOWMAN,

OF LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA.

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING JEWELRY OR LIKE OBJECTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 486,756, dated November 22, 1892.

Application filed July 12, 1892. Serial No. 439,793. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES T. BRADSHAW, a citizen of theUnited States, residing atPhiladelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Cleaning Jewelry and Like Objects, of which the following is a specification. I

This invention relates to apparatus foreleaning jewelry and similar objects in the process of manufacture or after repairing the same to remove the eifects of heat and fluxes thereupon, the object being to provide improved apparatus for containing the pickling or cleaning solutions and for washing said solutions from the cleaned or pickled articles; and the invention consists in the peculiar construction and arrangement of the various parts of the apparatus, all as hereinafter fully described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a plan view of a pickling vat or cup, together with its annexedwashing-vat for use in the manufacture of jewelry and similar objects, constructed according to my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of said pickling and washing cup on line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective View of the jewelry-receptacle of the pickling-cup. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the washingvat removed from the pickling-cup. Fig. 4 is the jewelry-receptacle of the washingvat.

In the drawings, A is a vessel of cup-like form constructed, preferably, of sheet-copper to better resist the action of cleaning-acids, and is provided with a suitable handle B and a cover 0. A receptacle D for jewelry and similar objects which are to be cleaned is constructed and arranged to be placed within the cup A, its rim 2 resting againstthe bottom of said cup. The bottom of said receptacle is made, preferably, of copper wirecloth, and said bottom in the drawings is indicated by 3. Said rim 2 is made, preferably, of sheet-copper and, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, has its lower edge folded inwardly upon itself, thereby forming an annular trough or groove around its inner side in which to receive the turned-down edge of said bottom 3, and after inserting said edge into said groove, as shown in Fig. 3, the inner lip of said groove is forced against the inner side of said rim 2, thereby clamping the edge of the bottom 3 firmly and connecting the bottom with the rim without the aid of solder or other devices in such a way that no amount of exposure of said receptacle to the action of acids in the operation of pickling and cleaning objects will effect a separation. of said bottom and rim. If desired, a finely-perforated piece of sheet-copper may be substituted for said wire-cloth bottom of the receptacle D and be secured to the rim 2 in the manner described; but such construction would be more costly than the wire-cloth and serve no better purpose. For the purpose of easily manipulating said receptacle D to place it and its contents in the picklingcup A, and to remove the same therefrom after said contents shall have been sufficiently acted upon by the cleaning or pickling solution, and to provide such a construction of said receptacle as shall contain a convenient handle for manipulating the same, as aforesaid, and which shall present no inconvenience in closely covering said cup to protect its contents,a handle at is provided therefor, which is hung by its inner end on the inner side of the rim 2 of said receptacle D,and is so arranged that when the cover is to be put on the said cup, and while the receptacle remains therein the said handle 4: may be turned to the inward depressed position shown in Fig. 2, whereby it presents no obstruction to placing the cover on said cup. To prevent the said handle from swinging too low or into the pickling solutions that may be in the cup A, a stop-arm 5, consisting of a part of said arm 4 or a separate piece attached thereto, is provided near the joint connection of the arm 4 with the said rim 2, which is so arranged that when the handle -4 is swung over into the cup, as shown in Fig. 2, said stop strikes the inner side of said rim 2 and arrests the inward motion of said handle, leaving the latter supported in a convenient position, as and for the purpose aforesaid. Upon removing the cover 0 of the cup A the handle 4 may be swung up to the position shown in Fig. 3, convenient to be taken hold of-by the hand for the purpose of manipulating the ICO said receptacleD. "To provide suitable conveniences for quickly removing the said pickling and cleaning solutions from objects of jewelry which may have been treated in the said cup A, a washing-vat E isprovided and is adapted to be hung on the side of said cup A, substantially in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The said cup is also preferably made of sheet-copper, so that it shall, as stated in regard to the cup A, resist the action of the cleaning-acids that may be used. The-vatE is made preferably of the form shown in the drawings, having one side of circular form conforming to the curvature of the outside of the cup A, so that it shall hang closely thereagainst and prevent any acids or similar matter from being dropped between said cup and vat. To attach said vat to the side of the cup A, a long-armed hook 6 is preferably used, one end of which is soldered or otherwise rigidly connected to said vat, its long arm extending into the cup, as shown. The vat E is adapted to receive water for washing said objects, as aforesaid, and is provided with a removable object-receptacle F, having a perforated bottom and an upturned rim, as shown in Fig. 4, and is of such form as adapts it to be placed in the vat E in the position shown in Fig. 2, and is provided with a han- (110 7 for manipulating the same.

The construction of the pickling apparatus as above described provides for conveniently packing the parts one within the other compactly for transportation, for the vat E and its receptacle F may be placed in the cup A.

Pickling vats or cups for the use of jewelers and others for the above-mentioned purpose as heretofore constructed have consisted, substantially, of a vessel such as is represented by the cup A of the drawings with a cover and a handle. Into this cup, as heretoforepracticed,thepicklingsolutionforcleaningjewelry,as stated,is placed and the articles to be cleaned are thrown promiscuously into such solution,and after having there remained for a time are taken out by means of tweezers or by the fingers of the operator one by one. This operation demands considerable time and the use of tools, which are soon ruined by the acids. Furthermore, the contact of said acids with the fingers results, more or less, in injury thereto by poisoning or burning, and the clothing of the operator is frequently burned and soiled by acid spilled or spattered thereon. In the operation of pickling and cleaning said objects either by the use of acids or of boiling alcohol, as is often prac-' ticed, the abovementioned inconveniences are obviated and the pickling and cleaning operation is greatly facilitated and is more thoroughly done by the employment of the Within-described improved apparatus. Said operation is as follows: The pickling-cup A is provided with a suitable cleaning and pickling solution, (the cover 0 being removed,) and the washing-vat E is supplied with water, either warm or cold, as the case may be, the. receptacle D being in said cup in the position shown in Fig. 2 and the handle 4 thereof standing upright, as shown in Fig. 3. The operator takes the objects to be cleaned (which may be operated upon in a mass) and places them all in the receptacle D, and then places the same in the pickling-cup A, submerging all, as usual, in said pickling solu tion, and replaces said cover. There they are left a suitable time, and then said receptacle, with the objects therein contained,is lifted out of the solution, (allowing the same to properly drain,) and said objects are then poured together into the vat E. The operator then takes hold of the handle of the object-receptacle F and, agitating it more or less, together with the objects it contains, in the water of the vat E, said objectsbecome sufficiently clean from their pickling solutions to be removed from said vat, dried, and receive the required subsequent finishing operations.

In the operation of pickling, as above described, by the use of the within-described improvements the objects contained in the receptacle D may be from time totime lifted out of the solution and be examined to Watch the action of the solution thereupon. This obviates all danger of injury to the objects by the acid solution.

It will be observed by referring to Fig. 2 that the bottom 3 of the receptacle D in cup A is supported somewhat above the bottom of said cup. This disposition of said bottom 3 serves to maintain the same above and away from any deleterious sediment that may become deposited in the bottom of the cup A or settle from the cleaning solutions therein, and therefore the articles resting upon said wirecloth bottom 3 are not injured or discolored by the action of any sediment so deposited in said cup, as they would he were they allowed to .lie thereagainst, as heretofore practiced.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. In apparatus for pickling and cleaning jewelry and other metallic objects, a vessel to receive the pickling solution,-a movable receptacle for said objects, substantially as described, contained in said vessel and having a perforated bottom supported above the bot tom' of said vessel and a handle hinged thereto, combined with an object-washing vat attached to the side of said vessel, and an objectreceptacle for said vat, having a perforated bottom, an upturned rim surrounding said bottom, and a handle projecting above the side of the vat,substantially as set forth. 2. In apparatus for pickling and cleaning jewelry and other metallic objects, a vesselA -IIO to receive the pickling solution, combined said vessel, and a handle 4, hinged to said rim and having thereon the stop 5, substantially as set forth.

3. In apparatus for pickling and cleaning jewelry and other metallic objects, a vessel A to receive the pickling solution, a receptacle D to receive and hold said objects in said solution, having a rim 2, a perforated bottom3, attached to said rim, and thereby supported above the bottom of said vessel, and a handle 4, hinged to said rim, combined with an object-washing vat E, attached by a hook 6 to the side of said vessel, and an object-receptacle F for said vat, having a perforated bottom, an upturned rim surrounding said bottom,

and a handle 7, projecting above the side of 15 said vat, substantially as set forth.

4. The receptacle D, consisting of the rim 2, having one edge bent upon itself to form a groove, the perforated bottom 3, havingits border clamped in said groove, whereby it is attached to said rim,and the handle 4, hinged to said rim and having the stop 5 thereon, combined with the vessel A and its cover 0, substantially as set forth.

CHARLES T. BRADSHAW.

Witnesses:

A. H. BITTER, OHAs. T. MYERS. 

